MANCHESTER UNITED CHIEF MAKES BOLD CLAIM WITH ARSENA, CHELSEA AND TOTTENHAM WARNING

Manchester United chief Omar Berrada has sent a warning to the club's Premier League rivals with a bold claim about their future

Manchester United CEO Omar Berrada (Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada has claimed that the club can still win the Premier League title in the next three years, despite coming off the back of their worst domestic campaign since 1974.

Berrada arrived at United in 2024 after leaving Manchester City, where he was the chief football operations officer after working his way up since joining the club in 2011. In September last year, he revealed 'Project 150' - marking the club's 150-year anniversary by attempting to get the team back to the top of English football.

However, last season was particularly poor for United. Having lifted the FA Cup at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, the club stuck by Erik ten Hag before ultimately sacking him in October. He was replaced by Ruben Amorim, but if anything the club's results deteriorated further in the league.

Despite reaching the Europa League final, they ultimately fell to a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham in Bilbao and it's fair to say things have scarcely been worse for Manchester United in recent memory.

However, in an interview with the United We Stand fanzine, Berrada insisted that he remained committed to usurping the club's rivals in England and lifting a Premier League trophy in the coming years.

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"It's establishing a series of targets within a timeframe so we can focus our efforts and energy on that goal," Berrada said.

- Joe Doyle

MAN UTD TOLD RÚBEN AMORIM 'HAS ALREADY RESIGNED' AHEAD OF JIM RATCLIFFE MEETING

Ruben Amorim has found little success in the Premier League since arriving at Manchester United and broadcaster Richard Keys reckons the Portuguese coach is searching for an exit

Richard Keys made his opinion on Man Utd's manager clear

Ruben Amorim "all but resigned" with his comments following Manchester United's defeat by West Ham United, according to Richard Keys. Amorim accepted that he may not be the man for the Red Devils if the club's Premier League form continues into next season.

"I don't want to talk about the players," he said. "I'm talking about myself and the culture in the club and the culture in the team. I have that feeling.

“We need to change that and we need to be really strong in the summer and to be brave. Because we cannot have a season like this next year. If the feeling is still here, we should give the space to different persons."

And beIN Sports anchor Keys believes such a stance vindicates his belief that Amorim is angling for the sack. Mirror Football understands that the Old Trafford hierarchy will review Amorim’s position at the end of the season.

United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada and the remainder of the club's hierarchy will judge the Portuguese coach's role even if United beat Tottenham in the Europa League final. Amorim has already conceded the difficulty Champions League football would offer next term.

"How long have I been saying Ruben Amorim has been trying to get the sack? You all laughed at me," Keys wrote in his latest blog.

"Well, now what? Because this weekend, he all but resigned. It's hard to interpret his post-match comments after the West Ham defeat any other way."

Keys had plenty of criticism for United owner Ratcliffe, too. The broadcaster believes the 13-times Premier League champions are stilling going backwards as a club.

"Here's the bottom line. United are hopeless. Embarrassing. They're still going backwards," he added. "The Jim Reaper has ripped the heart out of the club, inflicting damage and hurt from top to bottom, whilst making one bad decision after another, and it's coming back to bite him and the brains trust.

Ruben Amorim has admitted that he may not be at Old Trafford next season if results don't improve(Image: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

"Amorim realised he'd walked into a mess pretty quickly after arriving at OT. He knows it's not going to get better any time soon.

"He's not working for football people. He's working for accountants and stats men, who don't understand what he wants or needs. I'm not convinced some even care.

"If I'm right - and Amorim wants out, either now or a couple of months into next season - how can United commit to him? How can they gamble spending money on players he might want?"

- Scott Trotter

MAN UNITED'S DAN ASHWORTH LEAVES AS SPORTING DIRECTOR - SOURCES

Dan Ashworth has left his position as sporting director at Manchester United after just five months, sources have told ESPN.

Ashworth officially arrived in July after a settlement -- running into millions of pounds -- was reached with former club Newcastle United.

The 53-year-old was seen as a key part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's revamp at Old Trafford along with technical director Jason Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada. But he has departed after overseeing just one transfer window and less than a month after the arrival of new head coach Ruben Amorim.

Sources have told ESPN that Ashworth's move to Old Trafford has not worked out and a decision has been taken to part company. He was at Old Trafford for the 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Ashworth played a central role -- along with Wilcox and Berrada -- in choosing Amorim as Erik ten Hag's successor. Ten Hag was sacked in October after a miserable start to the new season.

Ashworth oversaw the arrival of five major signings in the summer, with Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Manuel Ugarte, Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee arriving for combined fees of more than £180 million ($229.3m).

Defeat to Forest left United 13th in the Premier League table with 19 points -- their lowest tally after 15 games since 1986. They face FC Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday and Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

- Rob Dawson, Correspondent

ERIK TEN HAG: MAN UTD NEED TO BOUNCE BACK AGAINST PORTO

 

Erik ten Hag has come under pressure following Manchester United's dismal start to the season. Getty

PORTO, Portugal -- Erik ten Hag has insisted he retains the faith of Manchester United's leadership, but admitted his players must show a reaction to the defeat to Tottenham when they play FC Porto.

Ten Hag has come under severe pressure following the chastening 3-0 defeat to Spurs on Sunday.

The Dutchman has revealed he's held conversations with the club's leadership team since the result, which left United 13th in the Premier League table.

He will lead his team in their Europa League tie against Porto at Estadio do Dragao on Thursday and admitted his players must bounce back quickly to brighten the mood around the club.

"We talk every day," Ten Hag told a news conference on Wednesday. "It's a long-term project. It's a long-term union. We will keep going in that process. We will talk every day. Every day we will evaluate, review the process and where it's necessary, we will make our decisions.

"As always when we are not winning, we are very disappointed and we are also mad, mad with ourselves and especially when you lose a game like Sunday.

"We are mad and from the madness we have to get motivation and go onto the next game."

CEO Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth both publicly backed Ten Hag before the defeat to Liverpool in early September.

Sources have told ESPN that despite the run of poor form, the club intend to stick with the 54-year-old until at least after Sunday's trip to Aston Villa on Sunday.

Ten Hag was asked whether United's leadership had privately offered a vote of confidence since the defeat to Tottenham, but the former Ajax coach told reporters it was not needed.

"It's not necessary to give me confidence," he said.

"We talk every day about how we can improve this club and this team. How we can co-operate, how can we improve the processes; that is what we are talking about."

While Porto warmed up for United with a 4-0 win over Arouca Sunday, Ten Hag's team are on a three-match winless run. But Porto coach Vitor Bruno is adamant it's not a good time to play their Premier League visitors.

"I know what you mean, talking about the last match," Bruno said. "But no, not at all. Exactly the opposite. We always see them as a threat. I've heard a lot of people saying that he was coming with a rope around his neck but it would be a huge mistake [to underestimate them]. We are talking about world-class players."

Kobbie Mainoo is set to be available to face Porto despite limping off during the first half against Spurs. The England midfielder trained at Carrington on Wednesday morning, but Mason Mount was absent after suffering a head injury against Tottenham.

United's trip to Portugal on Wednesday afternoon was delayed because of fog in Porto leading to Ten Hag's news conference being delayed for more than two hours.

- Rob Dawson, Correspondent

MAN UNITED POST £113M LOSSES DESPITE RECORD REVENUE

Omar Berrada said Manchester United are working towards improved financial sustainablility. Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Imag

Manchester United are working towards becoming more "financially sustainable," according to new CEO Omar Berrada, after posting a loss of more than £110 million ($144m) in their latest financial results.

The club announced record full year revenues of £661.8 million for the year ending June 30 in results published on Thursday. However, net losses rose to £113.2m ($148.2m) after increased investment in the playing squad.

United have recorded losses of more than £90m in three of the last four years, and were last profitable in 2019. But sources insist the club remain "committed" to be compliant with the Premier League's profit and sustainability regulations and UEFA's financial fair play rules.

The Premier League allows for losses of £105m over a three-year period, but there are provisions for allowable losses including investment in infrastructure and youth development.

"We are all extremely focused on working collectively to create a bright future with football success at the heart of it," Berrada said.

"We are working towards greater financial sustainability and making changes to our operations to make them more efficient, to ensure we are directing our resources to enhancing on-pitch performance.

"Our clear objective is to return the club to the top of European football.

"Everyone at the club is aligned on a clear strategy to deliver sustained success both on and off the pitch, for the ultimate benefit of our fans, shareholders, and hugely diverse range of stakeholders."

United spent more than £180m on signing five new players during the summer including Matthijs de Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee and Manuel Ugarte.

The outlay on the squad has increased the pressure on manager Erik ten Hag to produce performances on the pitch, particularly after the humbling 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool.

However, Berrada has reaffirmed the club's commitment to the Dutchman ahead of a crucial run of games in the Premier League, Carabao Cup and Europa League before the October international break.

"We have strengthened our men's first team with five exciting players and put a new football leadership structure in place to provide greater support to our manager," he said.

- Rob Dawson, Correspondent

MAN UNITED WON'T OVERPAY, RISK TRANSFER 'SETBACK' - CEO

Manchester United CEO Omar Berrada has said the club will not be held to ransom in their future transfer dealings because a bad deal can "set you back."

In the past, United have been accused of over-paying for players, both in terms of transfer fees and wages.

The first summer window under the new leadership team -- of which Berrada is part -- saw United spend close to £200 million ($221m) on five new players.

Berrada said the club were "disciplined" with the fees paid for new players while also highlighting the dangers of getting deals wrong

"We were able to do it [the summer window] in a financially sustainable way," Berrada said.

"We were quite disciplined about the valuations we were giving to the players who were going to come in. We stuck to those valuations. I think [sporting director] Dan [Ashworth] and the team did a fantastic job in the negotiations process.

"The reason I mention that is if you make a mistake and if you overspend or get a player who can cost you too much, it can set you back. Which is why you need to be able to take those decisions and make the right ones consistently over time to be in a position to win consistently."

As well as five new players, United also sanctioned the departures of a number of first-team squad members including Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Scott McTominay.

Sources have told ESPN that some within the club had reservations about letting McTominay leave for Napoli. Ashworth, though, said it was part of his job to make tough decisions.

"You have to be quite brave and make decisions that maybe you don't want to make," he said.

"But you can't have a bloated squad, and you're also dealing with players that ultimately want to play football. So you want to make sure that the squad is lean, but you have enough depth.

"The schedule, especially with the new Europa League format, is pretty punishing. So we want to make sure we've got enough depth that we don't carry a bloated squad and we're able to keep the players with the motivation and thought that they've got a chance of playing. If you run with too big a squad, it can cause problems. So you have to sometimes make some brave decisions on that."

Jadon Sancho was another senior player allowed to leave after he made the move to Chelsea, initially on loan, on deadline day.

It came almost a year after Sancho's public fall-out with Erik ten Hag but Ashworth insists the 24-year-old has not been "kicked out" of Old Trafford.

"I think with any player, whether it's Jadon, whether it's Scott or whether it's Aaron, if there's a preference that they would like to move and go to a new club and it's right for them and it's right for us, then you have to explore it," Ashworth said.

"We felt we had enough depth in that particular position to be able to cover it, we've got four really good wide players, Jadon was a fifth, and it just enabled us to make that decision that if it was good for him and good for us it was something we were willing to consider.

"It was a decision that we made. If it's right for Jadon and it's right for us to move on.

"He wanted to explore the opportunity at Chelsea, like Scott wanted to explore the opportunity at Napoli, like Aaron Wanted to explore the opportunity at West Ham. We're not in a position where we're kicking players out of the club."

- Rob Dawson, Correspondent

WHICH MAN UNITED PLAYER WOULD GET INTO MAN CITY''S SQUAD?

Kobbie Mainoo would catch Pep Guardiola's eye, while Marcus Rashford might just make it as well. James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images

 New minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has a three-year plan to restore Manchester United to a position of dominance over Manchester City. There's nothing wrong with ambition and bold targets, but reality sometimes gets in the way. Sunday's 3-1 derby defeat against Pep Guardiola's team showed the Everest-sized mountain United must climb to do so.

United are not even a genuine rival to City right now. Since last winning the Premier League title in 2013, United have failed to finish above their neighbours in the league and while City have won 15 major honours in that time, including the Champions League, United have mustered just four by winning two EFL Cups, an FA Cup and Europa League.

This season alone, United sit a full 18 points behind City in the league, while suffering 11 defeats to City's three. City have scored 62 goals; United have 37. Embarrassingly for Erik ten Hag's side, they also have a goal difference of -2, despite the apparent wealth of attacking talent in the Old Trafford squad.

Yet if you turn back the clock to 2008, when Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan completed his takeover of City with promises to transform a club that had suffered more relegations (five) than trophies won (zero) since lifting the EFL Cup in 1976, the picture was even bleaker for City. They were dismissed as a "small club with a small mentality" by Sir Alex Ferguson and mocked as "noisy neighbours" by the United manager, who also said "not in my lifetime" when asked whether City could ever topple his club to become the top team in Manchester.

Back then, not a single City player would be deemed good enough to merit a place in United's matchday squad. The gulf was that big. But times have changed in Manchester, emphatically so, and the challenge facing Ratcliffe -- whose Ineos group has now taken charge of football operations at Old Trafford after buying a 27.7% stake in the club from majority owners, the Glazer family -- is to affect a shift in the balance of power that makes United competitive again.